Hannah Vincent

Hannah Vincent is an English novelist and playwright. She is the author of the novels Alarm Girl and The Weaning as well as a collection of short stories, She Clown and Other Stories.

Hannah Vincent holds an MA in Creative and Critical Writing from Kingston University and a PhD in Creative and Critical Writing from Sussex University. Her thesis focused on female autobiographic practice. Vincent has presented academic papers widely and co-authored a book chapter on female mobility.

She teaches Creative Writing for the Open University and The Creative Writing Programme. Earlier, she worked as a BBC Drama television script editor.

Vincent's first stage play adapted Kafka's 'The Burrow'. It was performed at the Sydney Opera House in 1988. She has written several plays using the Joint Stock method. This interest in individual voice influences her role as a Royal Literary Fund Fellow.

Vincent has published two novels: Alarm Girl (2014) and The Weaning (2018). Her first short story collection, She Clown & Other Stories (2020), was shortlisted for the 2021 Edge Hill Prize. The Weaning was part of her PhD work.

She Clown & Other Stories contains sixteen stories. It features female protagonists navigating life from girlhood to old age. The collection has been praised for its feminist perspective and unique storytelling. It was shortlisted for the 2021 Edge Hill Prize.

Vincent finds short story writing exacting, emphasizing the importance of narrative structure. She draws inspiration from writers like Flannery O’Connor and Claire Keegan. Vincent's stories often leave room for reader interpretation.

The concept of the She-Clown symbolizes societal expectations of women. Themes of motherhood and female communication are recurrent in her work. Despite challenges, Vincent feels supported by her publishers, Myriad and Salt.

Hannah Vincent lives in Brighton.

Photo credit: hannahvincentinfo.com